The sun, climate change and
the expansion of the Scythians
after 850 BC
Bas van Geel
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Research Group Paleoecology and Landscape Ecology,
Faculty of Science, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, 1098 SM Amsterdam, The Netherlands
vanGeel@science.uva.nl
14C-dates
of the ‘Terp’-phase of
West-Friesland
wood and charcoal from ditches, pits and wells
2760 ±35 BP
2745 ±30 BP
2745 ±30 BP
2740±40 BP
2710±35 BP
2690±25 BP
2685±30 BP
2650±30 BP
2620±20 BP
This phase represents ca 140 14C-‘years’,
but probably only ca 60 calendar years.
This is the period of a fast increase of
delta 14C, and also the period of the start
of the ‘Younger Sphagnum Peat’.
(S. imbricatum: oceanic conditions)
Acknowledgements:
Bas van Geel and other members of the research team got
financial support from:
- The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO
047.009.005; ALW 750-19-812).
- INTAS (project 03-51-4445),
- EU 5th Framework Programme, Energy and Environment
(ACCROTELM project; EVK2-2002-00166).
Illustrations used in the powerpoint presentation:
2: Blytt-Sernander scheme from Birks and Birks, 1980.
3: Map of southern Norway (van Geel, 2004), based on an
map by Blytt (1882).
4 and 22: Raised bog profile in Bargerveen area (northwest
Netherlands; photo B. van Geel). The arrow in 4 points to the
Subboreal-Subatlantic transition.
5: From Landwehr, 1984.
6 and 7: Details of leaves of Sphagnum cuspidatum and
Sphagnum imbricatum (photo B. van Geel).
8: Selection of macrofossil data from raised bog profile
Engbertsdijksveen-I (van Geel, 1978).
11: Radiocarbon calibration curve (Stuiver et al., 1998).
12: From De Jong et al., 1979.
18: From van Geel et al., 1999.
19, 20 and 46: from van Geel and Renssen,1998.
23 and 25: after van Geel et al., 1996.
24: Aerial photograph showing soil marks from Bronze Age
settlement in West-Friesland, The Netherlands (photo W.H.
Metz, IPP, UvA).
26: Ruinen-Wommels pottery type (photo BAI, RuG).
27: Migrations in the northern Netherlands at the SubborealSubatlantic transition (from Waterbolk, 1966).
28: Cartoon showing development of landscape in northern
Netherlands (after van Geel et al., 1998).
29: Gaillard and Berglund (1988). For reference and
paleoclimatological interpretation see van Geel et al.,1998.
30: Excavated wooden trackway in Ireland (Raftery, 1990).
31: From Raftery (1990).
32: From Raftery (1990) with relevant part of 14C calibration
curve and delta 14C added by Bas van Geel.
33: Bog oak from Diemen, The Netherlands (photo B. van
Geel).
34: Dutch bog oak record and delta 14C (van Geel, Jansma
and van der Plicht, in prep).
35: After Speranza et al. (2002).
36: Abstracts by Kroonenberg et al., and Gracheva (for
references see van Geel et al., 2004).
37 and 38: from Grunert et al., 2000 (for reference see van
Geel et al., 2004).
39 and 40: Excavation scythian burial mount Arzhan-2, Tuva
(photo H. Hooghiemstra).
41: Scythian kurgan 5 from Pazaryk, after Rudenko.
43: White Lake near Arzhan-2 in Tuva (photo H.
Hooghiemstra).
44: Pollen diagram Kutuzhekovo Lake (for interpretation see
van Geel et al., 2004).
45: Radiocarbon dates from archaeological sites in Khakassia
and Tuva (see van Geel et al., 2004).
48 and 49: See van Geel et al. (1998).
50, 51 and 52: see Magny (1993a,b).
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